PUBLISHED ONJune 13, 2022 4:45 AMByKhoo Yi-HangThe forecast for your meal at this food centre: Cloudy soup, with a chance of rats on the side.
Some stunned diners at Maxwell Food Centre had to contend with rats dropping from the ceiling on them, with some of these pests even trampled underfoot by a number of unsuspecting customers, reported Shin Min Daily News yesterday (June 12).
Vendors in the food centre pointed out that these rodents usually rest during the day, huddled up with one another above the beams supporting the roof of the well-known Chinatown food centre, Shin Min Daily News reported.
These rodents are usually seen in groups of three or four, prompting one stall holder to describe some of them as "a family".
This "family" of rats would be active before noon and would rest after 12pm, the vendor told Shin Min.
When they are active, however, these rats bring great inconvenience to the staff of Maxwell Food Centre.
A male vendor who declined to be named informed Shin Min Daily News that a small rat had fallen on a dining table in September last year, forcing cleaners to get rid of it using a box.
More recently, a rat fell from the ceiling, ran around the food centre and was crushed underfoot by customers, the vendor also said.
When a reporter from Shin Min Daily News visited the hawker centre, he said he spotted a rat curled up on the corner of a beam.
But this isn't a simple matter, and the stall holders know it.
"The rodents' nests found this time have been on the beam for two weeks," the male stall holder said. "They reproduce quickly, so we're worried about a possible rodent infestation problem."
Another stall holder said: "As a food vendor, hygiene is the most important, so worry is expected."
Diners also spoke to Shin Min Daily News about their concerns. Wang, 60, hopped that the relevant authorities would be able to solve this pest problem as quickly as possible.
Xu, 47, thought otherwise and felt that it was unavoidable that pests would be found in food centres.
If one stall isn't clean, the rest of the stalls in the area would also be affected, Xu added.
A representative of Maxwell Food Centre, Huang, told Shin Min Daily News that their rodent headache began after a construction site nearby was set up.
To combat this problem, on top of informing the National Environmental Agency (NEA) about this matter, Maxwell Food Centre also has monthly checks by pest control contractors, reported the evening paper.
"The NEA has carried out routine inspections and cleanings, including dealing with tree holes that had rodents outside before," Huang, 67, said. "There are also food bureau personnel to remind the vendors to store the ingredients and keep them tidy.
"Now, the rodent infestation on the ground has improved a lot."
But it might take more time to fully cleanse the food centre of all their furry fiends.
In September 2021, Ang Mo Kio market underwent a six-hour-long operation jointly organised by NEA and the Ang Mo Kio Town Council to clear the market of rodent pests.
Afterwards, 62 cages were placed within and outside of the market's premises to further cull the area of more pests.
Not everything needs to be done manually, however.
In February this year, NEA announced that they aim to install surveillance technology for pest control in markets and hawker centres to nip pest problems in the bud, the Straits Times reported.
According to NEA's website, there are three common types of rat species in Singapore, namely, the sewer rat, the roof rat and the house mouse.
Generally, these three species are able to produce four to 12 pups per litter and have an average lifespan of one year.
AsiaOne has reached out to NEA for comment.
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khooyihang@asiaone.com